Automatic stop for cable-cars.



No. 774,244. 4 PATENTED NOV. 904.

' A. M. GREEN. AUTOMATIC STOP FOR CABLE CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1904. N0 MODEL.

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NITED STATES Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT Orricn.

ARCHIBALD M. GREEN, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FRANK A. MARSTON, OF WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR CABLE-CARS.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,244, dated November 8, 1904:. Application filed July 29, 1904. Seria1N0. Z18,676. (no model.)

To all whom, it nan/y concern: 1

Be it known that I, ARGHIBALD M. GREEN,-

of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops mon to raise the coal from the vessel by means of hoisting-buckets, or coal-diggers as they are frequently termed, and carried by the buckets up to an elevated platform, where the coal is emptied from the buckets into cars which carry the coal to the place where it is to be dumped into the proper coal-pocket in the yard. Tracks for the cars are laid on the platform and are usually arranged in circuit, forming an endless track. The cars are usually operated by endless cable, which may be driven by any suitable enginesteam, electric, or other power. The cable comes up from the engine, extends around thecircuit, doubles upon itselffor some distance, and then returns to the engine. The grip is applied to the cable after it comes up from the engine. After the car has gone around thecircuit it is necessary to release the grip from the cable before it reaches the sheave Where the cable passes down to the engine; otherwise something will have to break when the grip strikes the sheave. It is usual to have an operator release the grip at some point along the double line of the cable and shift it over to the portion of the cable which has just come up from the engine. Sometimes the operator is neglectful' and fails to make the shift, and damage results in the manner already described.

The object of the present inventionis to provide an automatic stop whereby if the grip is not released before it reaches a certain point the cable will be stopped by throwing off the power. This is accomplished by means of a trip device actuated by the grip or some pro jection carried by the car, which operates to move a valve and shut off the steam if a steamengine furnishes the power, or to turn a switch if electricity be the medium, or in some other way to control the motive power, whatever it may be.

The invention will now be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims at the close of the specification.

In the'drawings, Figure 1 is aplan of a section of track and a car and connections, illustrating the invention when steam-power is employed. The car is shown as having passed the automatic stop and the grip engaged with the proper run of the cable. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, partly in section. Fig. 3 is'a side elevation, partly broken away, showing the grip-hook in engagement with the stoplever as it will be in passing if the grip has not been shifted. Fig. 4is a detail view showing how the invention is employed to open a switch when electricity is the motive power.

1 represents a car, 2 the grip-operating lever, and 3 the grip-hook which engages the cable, all in well-known manner, and are therefore not shown in detail. The track-rails 4 4 are laid on the cross-ties 5.

6 represents the "pulley over which the cable 8 passes when it comes up from the engine, and? is the pulley over which the cable passes on its return to the engine. For convenience of reference the return run of the cable is designated by 8. These pulleys'are journaled in suitable bearings in the frame below the track, so that the run of the cable between the pulleys will be at the proper level.

Fulcrumed at 11 to a post 9 beneath the track is a lever 10, having an upturned forward arm 10, which engages the under side of lever 12, the rear arm of lever 10 being heavier, than the forward arm, but held from dropping beloW a certain point by a rope 13, which is fastened to one of the cross-ties 5. Lever 12 is also pivoted either to the lever 10 or to the post 9 and bearing upon the upper end of arm 10 extends at an inclination up into the path of the grip-hook 3, being inclined to the direction that the car travels. Preferably the upper end of arm 10 is beveled to fit the inclination of lever 12. Preferably the lever 12 is forked at its upper end, so that the cable may lie between the branches of the fork which form a guide for the cable 8, so that if the grip-hook has not been shifted from 8 showing how the invention may be applied to 8 before the car reaches the lever 12 the l to open the switch and stop the car when grip-hook will be surely engaged by the lever the motive power is electricity.

12 and not allow the cable to swerve to one I It is obvious that the invention may be apside of the lever, and thereby cause the lever plied to a cable-car used for any purpose; 12 to fail of engaging the griphool also, that the particular form of trip and con- To the rear arm of lever 10 there is fasnections may be varied without departing tened a rope 1 1, which is guided by suitable from the scope of the invention. pulleys, as 15 16, and is attached to one arm lVhat claim isof lever 17, fulcrumed at 18 to the standard 1 1. An automatic stop for cable-cars com- 19. A stop 20 supports the lever 17 when in prising a lever actuated by the cable-grip at the position of Fig. 2. a certain point in the travel of the car, and Pivoted at 21 to the standard 19 is a lever mechanism actuated by the said lever where 22, which normally stands extending upward r by the engagement of the said grip with said a little off of the plumb and rests against the lever shuts off the motive powerof the cable. end of lever 17 which prevents lever 22 from 2. An automatic stop for cable engines and turning down further. A rope 23 is fastened cars comprising a pivoted lever which proat one end to the upper end of said lever 22 jects up into the path which the grip pursues and at its other end it is connected with one if the grip is retained in engagement with end of a lever 2 1, which is fulcrumed at the l one line of the cable, said lever being actuated opposite end from the rope connection to a by said moving grip, and mechanism actuconnecting-rod 25, which is pivoted to a col- I ated by said lever and grip to shut off the lar 26 on the steam-pipe 27. Intermediate its motive power of the cable. two ends the lever 2 is pivoted to the stem 1 3. In a circuit cable-car system in which the 28 of a valve which controls the passage of l grip has to be shifted from the return-line of steam through the pipe 27 to the engine. 1 the cable to the outgoing line at the end of When the valve is pulled inward, it shuts 011' l each round trip, an automatic stop which the steam and stops the engine. Rope 23 is shuts ofi' the motive power if the grip is not guided over suitable pulleys 29 3O 81, and on shifted, said stop mechanism comprising a the said rope there is hung a weight 32, the forked lever pivoted below the cable and emrope running through an eye 33, fast to the 1 bracing the returnline of the cable, whereby weight. The downward pull of the weight the said lever willbeengaged by the grip if the normally retains the lever 22 against the end grip is not shifted before reaching the said leof lever 17, as in Fig. 2. ver,ashut-off for the motive powerof the cable, If the griphook is not shifted before the and mechanism connecting said shut-off with car reaches the lever 12, the book will ensaid lever, whereby the engagement of said gage the said lever and depress the upper end, grip with said lever actuates the shut-off. thus turning down the upturned arm 10 of 4:. In acircuit cable-car system in which the lever 10, on which it bears, and lifting the rear grip has to be shifted from the return-line of arm of lever 10. This pulls upon the rope the cable to the outgoing line after each trip, 14:, and thus turns up the long arm of lever 17. an automatic stop which shuts off the motive This causes the short arm of said lever 17 to power if the grip is not shifted, said stop push lever 22 over to the other side of the mechanism comprising a pivoted lever which vertical, and the pull of the weight 23, which extends up into the path of the grip if the previously held. the lever 22 against the end grip remains on the return-line and which is of lever 17, now pulls the lever 22 down into out of the path of the grip while the grip is the dotted-line position of Fig. 2 as far as on the outgoing line, shut-off mechanism for allowed by the stop 3%. The drop of the the motive power of the cable, and mechanweight keeps the rope 23 taut and causes ism connecting said shut-ofi with said lever it to pull the valve and shut ofi' the steam, so whereby if the grip remains in connection that the engine stops, and therefore the cable with the return-line it will actuate said lever stops moving and brings the car to a rest. and shut-off. As soon as the grip-hook rides off from the 5. An automatic stop for cable engines and lever 12 after turning it down the weight of cars comprising a pivoted lever which prothe rear arm of lever 10, which overbalances jects up into the path in which the cable-grip the fore arm 10, will cause the rear arm to moves when in engagement with the returndrop as far as allowed by the rope 13 and reline of the cable and which is depressed by store the lever 12 again to the position of l the grip in passing, a shut-ofi' for the motive Fig. 2. The cable, however, will not start power of the cable, mechanism for actuating again until the valve is reopened at the will said shut-off, mechanism which normally holds of the operator or engineer, and in the meansaid shutoff-actuating mechanism inactive, time the operator will shift the grip before i and trip mechanism actuated by said first lever he opens the valve. when depressed which throws said shut-off- In Fig. l the rope 23 is shown as connected actuating mechanism into action. with the lever 10 of an electric switch tl, i

6. An automatic stop for cable engines and cars comprising a pivoted lever which projects up into the path in which the cable-grip moves when in engagement with the return line of the cable and which is depressed by engagement of the grip in passing, a second lever which normally holds said first lever in engaging position for the grip, a shut-off for the motive power of the cable, mechanism for actuating said shut-ofi', mechanism which normally holds said shut-olf actuating mechanism inactive, trip mechanism for said detent mechanism, and connections between said trip mechanism and said second lever whereby the depressing of the said first lever by the cablegrip actuates the tripping mechanism and throws the shut-ofi-actuating mechanism into action.

7. An automatic stop for cable engines and cars comprising a pivoted lever which projects up into the path in which the cable-grip moves when in engagement with the returnline of the cable and which is depressed by engagement of the grip in passing, means which normally hold said first lever in engaging position for the grip, a shut-off for the motive power of the cable, a flexible connection with said shut-off, mechanism connected with said flexible connection which tends to actuate it so as to shut off the power, a pivoted'lever to which said flexible connection is connected and which normally holds said shutoff-actuating mechanism out of action, a trip-lever which engages said detentlever, and mechanism connecting said trip -lever with said grip-engaging lever whereby the depressing of the grip-engaging lever trips the said detent-lever and renders the shut-oftactuating mechanism operative.

8. An automatic'stop for cable engines and cars comprising a pivoted lever which pro jects up into the path in which the cable-grip moves when in engagement with the returnline of the cable and which is depressed by the grip in passing, mechanism which throws the said lever again into engaging position when the lever is released from the grip, a shut-off for the motive power of the cable, mechanism for actuating said shut-ofl, mechanism for normally retaining said shut-off mechanism inactive and mechanism actuated by the depressing of said grip-engaging lever to throw the shut-off mechanism into action.

9. An automatic stop for cable engines and cars comprising a pivoted lever which projects up into the path in which the cable-grip moves when in engagement with the return line of the cable and which is depressed by the grip in passing, mechanism which throws the said lever again into engaging position when the grip has passed out of engagement with the said lever, shut-off mechanism for the motive power of the cable, and mechanism actuated by the depressing of said grip-engaging lever to throw the shut-off mechanism into action.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARCHIBALD M. GREEN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. COPELAND, ROBERT WALLAoE. 

